Infester – To The Depths In Degradation

Originally released in 1994 and now reissued on Dead Congregation frontman Anastasis Valtsanis’ Martydoom label. With liner notes from drummer Dario Derna who went on to join Drawn And Quartered. "To The Depths In Degradation" was Infester’s only album and over the years has earned itself a cult status.

With the recent success of Dead Congregation and the current trend of blackened death metal as a whole, not only is this re-release perfectly timed but it shows how important the album has become to the death metal scene. It’s clear how much an influence it has had on Dead Congregation and how important an album it is to today’s musical climate.

"To The Depths In Degradation" is a dark twisted journey. While tracks like 'Chamber Of Reunion' and 'Braded Into Palsy' a favorites of mine the album really needs to be listened to as a whole. The album mixes beautifully the elements of black and death metal, it goes from fast and brazen to slow and doomy. It also makes very good use of keyboards during its doomier passages. It sounds like an old organ and brings to mind old occult horror films and gives the album a spooky element as a whole.

There are some fantastic riffs and melodic shredding that black metal of the time put to such good use. It’s amazing to think the album was recorded by three kids aged 15-17! To think that some of the most adamant satanic worshippers of today can’t drum up an album with the atmosphere found on this album. It does have a demo like quality; it’s down to the individual whether or not that’s a problem. Personally I think it adds to the charm but I do wonder how this would have sounded had the band had a bigger budget or how the songs would sound if re-recorded today or even performed live.

However the song quality shines through and this is a diamond in the rough well worth sorting after.


  1. To The Depths (In Degradation)
  2. Chamber Of Reunion
  3. Braded Into Palsy
  4. Epicurean Entrails
  5. A Viscidy Slippery Secretion
  6. A Higher Art Of Immutable Beauty
  7. Clouding Of Consciousness
  8. Excoriation Killz The Bliss
  9. Mephetic Exhumation
  10. Outro